Xu Yan put on a haughty expression. "That's more like it!" Suddenly, she lowered her voice, "But you can't tell my mom."
The corners of Ye Jin's mouth curved upwards. "Why? Is it because Auntie Bai would disapprove of you?"
Xu Yan glared at him, her cheeks puffed out. Ye Jin couldn't resist poking her cheek. "Pufferfish Yanyan?"
Xu Yan promptly bit his finger. "You're the pufferfish! Not me!"
Ye Jin laughed heartily. He pulled Xu Yan up. "You little rascal, let's go out for a walk."
Thinking of her parents who were always showing affection like an "old married couple," Xu Yan carefully tried to interlock her fingers with Ye Jin's, mimicking what she'd seen.
Ye Jin indulged her, and they headed out hand in hand, ready to stroll the streets.
Having become fully acquainted with the tavern's inhabitants, Xu Yan waved cheerfully before leaving. "Little parrots! Guard the place, okay?"
The parrots, quite fond of this endearing human girl, flew over excitedly, circling around Xu Yan and Ye Jin before returning to their cages.
Watching this scene, Ye Jin felt an inexplicable sense of contentment.
The tavern had indeed been missing a mistress like his Yanyan.
Their entire street maintained a traditional, antique charm. As Xu Yan looked around curiously, she suddenly asked, "Ye Jin, is it okay for the tavern to stay closed like this?"
Ye Jin simply put his arm around Xu Yan's shoulders as they walked. "It's fine. I only open it when I feel like it anyway. Besides, what could be more important than spending time with you?"
Xu Yan giggled foolishly for a moment. "We can't keep doing this in the future! When I don't have classes, I'll come to the tavern to hang out with you. You should keep it open then."
Ye Jin sighed a little. "The tavern is quite popular. It gets crowded every time we open. Next time we open, you can just sit at the counter and handle the cash. Don't come out to help."
Xu Yan was unlikely to agree, but unable to argue with Ye Jin, she quickly changed the subject by pulling him into a nearby shop. "Oh! They sell little desserts here! Let's go take a look."
Ye Jin knew she was deflecting, but he didn't press the issue. He followed her into the shop with long strides.
Xu Yan swiftly ordered a few desserts and then sat quietly, waiting.
Ye Jin sat beside her, unable to resist holding her hand and playing with her fingers. "You little glutton, is this enough? If not, we can order some more."
Xu Yan watched as the desserts were brought to their table. She touched her face, looking a bit troubled. "It's enough, it's enough... Ye Jin, why is it that whenever I gain weight, it only shows in my face?"
Ye Jin looked at her carefully, unable to resist pinching her round little cheeks. "Where's the weight gain? You look adorable."
He emphasized, "Yanyan, you're cutest just like this."
Xu Yan cupped her face with both hands, swaying her head with a silly grin. "Ye Jin, why do you like me so much? When did you start liking me? I used to be so difficult, always so gloomy."
Ye Jin tried hard not to think about the hardships his little girl had endured in her past life. "When I first met Yanyan, you were just a little pup. A carefree little pup without a worry in the world. It was my first time seeing a human child like that, and I was curious. I wanted to follow you, to see what your home was like, to see what such a cute and innocent little one would grow up to be."
"I didn't expect all those accidents to happen later, nor did I expect to be treated as a little dog and taken to Mr. Sui's house with you. I could have left later, but seeing how you were, I was afraid they'd bully you if I left. So I simply stayed by your side."
"Later, you wouldn't tell the Sui family anything, but you'd always whisper your secrets to me. I thought then, how could there be such a silly child?"
"As time went on, I watched you grow up day by day, becoming more and more withdrawn, less and less talkative... but also more and more attached to me. I started to think, if only I were stronger, I could take you away from that place."
"But I was powerless. Later, my sister came to see me a few times, and with her help, my strength gradually recovered a bit. But by then, you had already met Bai Heng and the others. They were so good to you, I couldn't bear to take you away."
"The longer I spent with you, the more I realized I couldn't leave you. Fortunately, Yanyan, you cared about me just as much."
Xu Yan's eyes grew moist as she listened. She rubbed her eyes. "Ye Jin, that carefree little pup who never worried has grown up now, and she's right here."
Ye Jin couldn't help but smile. "Yes, it's my Yanyan... How wonderful."
Xu Yan nearly forgot herself and was about to throw herself into Ye Jin's arms like she would at home, but just then, a waiter approached with a small dessert. "Excuse me, this is from the gentlemen at the next table for the young lady."
Xu Yan's emotional mood was interrupted. She looked over, puzzled. "Who?"
Ye Jin narrowed his eyes, also glancing over calmly.
They saw three unfamiliar men sitting there, smiling and waving at Xu Yan.
One of them even whistled. "Little miss, care to join us for a bite?"
Xu Yan frowned, her expression immediately turning cold. "Gentlemen, please open your eyes and look clearly. The man next to me is my boyfriend."
They were even wearing matching outfits!
Ye Jin smiled. "Yanyan, not everyone has manners."
The three men had originally intended to continue flirting with Xu Yan, but hearing Ye Jin's comment, they stood up. "Looking for trouble, are you?"
Ye Jin smiled gently. He patted Xu Yan's head lightly. "Yanyan, you stay here and eat."
He was a bit taller than the three men who looked like spoiled rich kids. Standing before them, he looked down at them. "Who exactly is looking for trouble?"
Ye Jin gazed at them coldly, and the three men inexplicably felt intimidated by his presence.
As the four of them faced off, someone sitting at a table in the corner couldn't help but burst into laughter.
One of the men chuckled teasingly, "Some people, you know, are inexplicably confident. They're clearly no match for the young lady's boyfriend in any way, yet they still have the audacity to chat her up."
His companion leisurely sipped his green tea, "Indeed, the world is going downhill. Some people these days..."
The three young rakes, who were the target of this indirect criticism, turned red-faced. Though they appeared furious, they didn't dare to talk back to the two men. Instead, they slunk away from the dessert shop with their tails between their legs.
Ye Jin watched them leave with a cool gaze. He approached the table in the corner to thank the two men, "I appreciate your help."
One of them stood up with a smile, "It's nothing. Those guys couldn't recognize Mount Tai even if it was right in front of them. Mr. Ye, it's an honor to meet you."
Xu Yan came over curiously, clinging to Ye Jin's arm and hiding behind him, "Ye Jin, do you know them?"
The man continued with a warm smile, "My surname is Zhao, and I'm called Zhao Xinze. This is my companion, his name is Mu Heng."
Before he finished speaking, Xu Yan's eyes widened instinctively. She gripped Ye Jin's sleeve tightly, looking at him with a mix of excitement and uncertainty.
Zhao Xinze... the army doctor had the same name, and Mu Heng... he seemed to have a similar personality to Bai Heng.
However, their appearances weren't particularly similar.
Surely this couldn't be just a coincidence.
